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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Name That Shawl! (A Contest)

If I have one real creative weakness, it's naming things. This has always been the case. Way back in middle and high school when I did a lot of creative writing, titles were always my downfall. I could write something, revise it several times, and have it be completely to my liking, but it would take me forever to settle on a title -- and I'd rarely be satisfied with it.

The same can be said for the shawl pattern I'm nearly finished writing. The sample is nearly complete, as you can see, except for the last of the border, and the pattern is mostly written -- mainly there are just a few holes to fill in, and I need to finish the shawl to do that (final dimensions, how much yarn I used, etc.).

The only thing that's really escaping me at this point is a good name for it. I had a working name in my head for a while, but as it turns out, the word I was thinking of using doesn't mean what I thought it meant, so that name is out. I've done some Googling for words that seem to describe the characteristics of this shawl but have come up empty. I guess at this point I'm just waiting for inspiration to strike -- but given how soon this shawl and the pattern will be ready to go, I'm not confident that that's going to happen in time.

Here is where you come in. I need some ideas or a name -- or at least some ideas that get me thinking enough to get me to a name. So I thought I'd make a little contest out of it. Here's how it'll work: You suggest a name (or multiple names, if you like, but I'll only count one entry per person). If I pick your name, or if your suggestion proves to be the inspiration that gets me to the final name, you win a copy of the pattern (or, if you prefer, a copy of any of my other patterns). I'll also do a random draw of all entries to win a copy of the pattern. Sound good?

Here's what you need to know: The shawl is worked from the top down with two colors, and the stripes are asymmetrical but balanced so that the shawl itself is symmetrical (i.e., it's an isosceles triangle). It's in garter stitch, and there are short rows involved.

Let's set an end date for 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 30. I'll announce the winners as soon as possible after that (it might take me a day or two to think through names).

Peckish. Because it makes me think of tea time, with little pastries and roses. Peckish generally means "a little bit hungry" (but not starving or famished) and this shawl would be knit when you want something a little challenging, but not hard and worn when you want a little warmth, but not a full sweater.

I immediately thought, Zebra Cakes. Like the little debbie zebra cakes. That might be really childish to name your pattern, but oh well. I also thought of fruitstripe gum (with a zebra mascot), probably equally childish.But if you like Zebra Cake /Fruitstripe, my ravelry name is helene8706.